How To Brighten Up Your Shady Yard Without Removing Trees

While that lovely shady yard might be a wonderful respite on a hot, sunny day, at times, it might just feel a little dark and gloomy. It's then that you wonder whether you should remove some of the trees, so you can brighten up the yard just a bit. Luckily for you, there are plenty of other ways you can add a little light and sparkle without actually removing any of the trees. This can be achieved by selecting plants that are reflective or have yellow leaves, using some reflective hardscaping, or just removing a few tree branches to let a little more light in. You can even make a small shady yard feel bigger and brighter by incorporating mirrors.

If the excessive shading is just caused by a handful of overhanging branches, cutting these back will make a world of difference. This is probably one of the easiest fixes to allow some filtered sunlight through to the soil below. It won't harm the tree, and you don't have to worry about all the work involved in getting it removed. Unless you're fairly experienced at tree pruning, you might want to engage the services of an arborist to ensure that the branches are cut correctly to protect the overall health of the tree.

There are many shade-tolerant plants that you can grow under your trees to brighten up the garden. Choose varieties that have variegated leaves, like hostas, or select ones that have primarily yellow leaves, such as Japanese forest grass. You might even like to add a bit more color to a shady spot by growing lush plants with colorful foliage, like Heuchera. Another stunning plant that will add a bit of sparkle is the foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia). It has lobed green leaves, but what will make it stand out are the tall spikes of glistening white flowers that appear in spring.

To add a touch of reflection to that gloomy spot in your garden, you might want to consider a cultivar of Brunnera macrophylla known as 'Jack Frost'. This stunning version of false forget-me-not has large silver leaves with dark green margins that will easily reflect the light. Another cultivar known as 'Looking Glass' also has metallic-like foliage for excellent reflection. On top of that, there are plenty of other fast-growing shade plants that will effortlessly brighten up a shady garden.

Choosing the right landscaping materials will help to visually lighten up that dark part of your yard. Instead of trying to struggle to grow a lawn, consider putting in a path made using crushed limestone, which is light in color. Similarly, light colored paving stones will also help to catch the eye and make the whole yard appear less dark. You should know that while dark colors will absorb the light, bright ones will tend to reflect it outward. So, replacing any dark hardscaping with bright, light materials will really help to brighten up those gloomy areas in your yard.

For something a little different, head to your local thrift store and find an old but intact mirror. Hanging this on a tree, wall, or fence will create a reflection and add instant light to any dark corner. Just make sure that the sun doesn't hit the mirror at any time during the day, otherwise it will reflect a blinding glare. You might even want to create a zen ambience by adding a water feature to a particularly dark corner. Choose one made in a reflective material or create your own using mosaic tiles.

If you want to create a nice spot for sitting and relaxing in your shade garden, make sure you select furniture that is also a light color, like white or cream. Similarly, select white-colored planters and fill these with reflective foliage plants or ones that have bright flowers in shades of yellow, white, or pink. Finally, don't forget the solar lights to create a lovely warm glow in the evening.